The AI-powered English dictionary
plural mustangs
A small, hardy, naturalized (feral) horse of the North American west. quotations examples
The mustang pony, the invariable companion of the inhabitant of the prairie, whether he is rich or poor, is a little creature, apparently narrow-chested, and small across the loins.
1846, Thomas Bangs Thorpe, The Mysteries of the Backwoods, Carey and Hart, page 12
Having ridden a distance of two or three miles, Garey slackened his pace, and put the mustang to a slow walk.
1851, Mayne Reid, edited by Charles J. Skeet, The Scalp Hunters; Or, Romantic Adventures in Northern Mexico, volume 3, page 145
(US, military slang) A merchant marine who joined the U.S. Navy as a commissioned officer during the American Civil War. quotations
He is a product of the merchant marine and is one of the officers called "Mustangs" who entered the navy during the Civil War.
1903, James Hoyt (editor), Seen & Heard by Megargee, L.N. Megargee, page 1754
He was the son of a famous artist, and was what we termed a "mustang" officer, who had come into the navy from the merchant service during the Civil War.
1939, Fred J. Buenzle, Bluejacket, W. W. Norton & Company, page 179
(US, military slang, generalized) A commissioned officer who started military service as an enlisted person. quotations
[…] and the chief engineer is a "mustang" — that is, an officer who has risen from the ranks of enlisted men.
September-December 1918, Alfred Emanuel Smith, New Outlook, volume 120, Outlook Publishing Company, page 417
Mustang— Officer who came up through the ranks. None better.
1943, Josef Israels, He's in the Marine Corps Now, R.M. McBride & Company, page 170
third-person singular simple present mustangs, present participle mustanging, simple past and past participle mustanged
(US) To hunt mustangs (wild horses), either for military use or for slaughter as pet food. examples